Apparatus for the fluid treatment of filamentary material



Oct. 11, 1955 WISKEMANN 2,720,100

APPARATUS FOR THE FLUID TREATMENT OF FILAMENTARY MATERIAL Filed July 18,1950 INVENTOR. anz \A/(sfiamomn BY (Rh/M United States Patent APPARATUSFOR THE FLUID TREATMENT OF FILAMENTARY MATERIAL Franz Wiskemann, Milan,Italy Application July 18, 1950, Serial No. 174,461 Claims priority,application Italy June 22, 1950 2 Claims. (Cl. 68-205) The presentinvention refers to continuous spinning machines for viscose,cuprammonium or acetate rayon, and more specifically to machines of thistype which comprise at least one pair of rollers on which the yarn iswound and successively treated by difierent liquids.

In spinning machines of this kind or in similar apparatus forconsecutively treating of yarn with at least two liquids greatdifliculties are encountered in keeping these two liquids separatedduring the treating process, as a mixing of the liquids usually impairsthe proper treating of the yarn.

Another drawback encountered in these machines is the fact that themixed liquids cannot be used again for the treatment of the yarn and theprocess requires, therefore, an unnecessary great amount of treatingliquids.

One object of the present invention is a machine which overcomes theabove-mentioned drawbacks.

A further object of the present invention is to provide such machineswith a mechanism which keeps the various liquids used in the machinesfor treating the yarns separated during the entire treating process.

An additional object of the present invention is to make this mechanismfrom a minimum number of parts so that the machine will be economical inpurchase and maintenance.

With these objects in view, the present invention mainly consists in anapparatus for treating yarn with at least two liquids comprising thefollowing elements: a pair of cooperating rollers, one of the rollersbeing located spaced from the other of the rollersand having. a smoothsurface, the rollers being adapted to have a yarn wound thereon in suchmanner that the yarn passes around both rollers leaving the surfaceportions of the rollers facing each other free of the yarn, at least twooutlet means spaced in axial direction for a predetermined distance forseparately applying two treating liquids to two adjacent annular surfacezones of one of the rollers for wetting the same end yarn located on thesame, and at least one freely rotatable narrow squeezing roll having anaxial length substantially smaller than the distance and a resilientliquid-impermeable peripheral rim engaging the one roller at the surfaceportion which is free of yarn so as to be rotated by the one roller, thesqueezing roll being located between the two outlet means and adapted tobe located between the two adjacent annular surface zones of the lowerroller, the squeezing roll being adapted to squeeze dry a narrow annularstrip of the surface of the one roller during rotation of the same so asto separate the two annular surface zones of the lower roller wetted bythe two treating liquids and to force portions of each of the liquidsentering the dry annular strip to return to the corresponding surfacezones so as to prevent mixing of the treating liquids.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theinvention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method ofoperation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, willbe best understood from the following description of specificembodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a schematic partly sectional front view of a continuousspinning machine according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of some elements of a machine madeaccording to the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a schematic side view of part of the machine; and

Figs. 4 and 5 are schematic side views showing modifications of themachine.

Referring now to the drawings and more specifically to Fig. 1, whichshows a schematic front view of the entire apparatus, in which theliquid viscose is fed into the machine through the pipe 1, passesthenthrough a measuring pump 2 into a filter 3 and is from there carriedthrough a pipe into the gold-platinum nozzle 4 into a tank filled withhot sulfuric acid.

From this bath of sulfuric acid the yarn is fed onto the upper roller 5made of acid-proof material, for instance, stainless steel, ebonite orsandstone. From there the yarn is passed to the lower roller 6 and theyarn is wound on these two rollers in such a manner that the yarn passesabout both rollers leaving the surface portions of these rollers facingeach other free of the yarn. The two rollers extend in the same generaldirection and are rotatably supported in bearings 18 mounted on theframework of the machine. Two outlet means or nozzles 15 spaced in axialdirection for a predetermined distance are provided for separatelyapplying two treating liquids to two adjacent annular surface zones ofthe lower roller 6 for wetting the same and the yarn located on thisroller. These two liquids are supplied to these nozzles through pipes 9and 10, respectively. Three narrow squeezing rolls 7 having each anaxial length substantially smaller than the distance between theaforementioned nozzles 15 are mounted on a shaft 19 which isfreelyrotatable supported on the framework of the machine. These rolls aremade of rubber and are pressed against the outer periphery of the lowerroller 6 so as to be driven by the same and to act as separators for thechemical liquids which wet the surface of the roller 6 in squeezing drynarrow annular strips on the roller surface during the rotation of theroller. Underneath the roller 6 and between the squeezing rolls arethree trays 11, 12 and 13 provided for receiving respectively theliquids separated by these squeezing rolls and dripping down from thelower roller.

The delivery ends (as shown in Fig. 1, the left ends) of the rollers areinteriorally heated by means of a hot liquid or some electrical heatingdevice for drying the yarn passing over these rollers as it leaves thesame. The finished and dried yarn is then passed on to a spool 8.

The axes of the rollers 5 and 6 are slightly inclined to each other sothat the yarn passing over these rollers advances automatically alongthese rollers with a desired pitch. The rollers may be cylindrical orslightly conical in order to match the shrinking of the yarn during thetreatment. The narrow annular strip 14- squeezed dry by the squeezingrolls 7 on the surface of the lower roller 6 is indicated on the lowerroller 6 of Fig. 2 which shows the two rollers and the squeezing rollsin a schematic perspective view.

Fig. 3 shows a schematic side view of the main parts of the apparatusand the relative position of the squeezing roll 7 to the lower roller 6and the nozzle 15 can be learned from this figure.

Figs. 4 and 5 show side views similar to Fig. 3, the only differencebetween these figures being that Figs. 4 and 5 show a pair of threadguides 16, 17 arranged respectively on the inside or on the outside ofthe yarn windings to prevent-the individual yarns from contacting eachother.

The apparatus as described above will work as follows:

The yarn leaving the nozzle 4 in the bath of hot sulfuric acid is woundaround a pair of driven rollers and passes therealong with a givenpitch. In passing over these rollers the yarn is chemically treated bytwo different liquids sprayed on the upper surface of the lower roller6. In the present machine, three squeezing rolls 7 pressed against theupper surface of roller 6 are provided, which squeeze dry strips 14 onthe roller 6 by pressing the liquids in lateral directions to adjacentsurface zones in a similar manner as an automobile tire squeezes dry astrip on the wet surface of the road. The squeezing roll 7 on the rightside (as viewed in Fig. 1) of the machine prevents, therefore, that anysulfuric acid carried along by the yarn mixes with the liquid suppliedthrough pipe to the surface of the roller 6, the middle roll acts tokeep this liquid separated from the liquid supplied through pipe 9whereas the left squeezing roll prevents that any liquid is carriedalong to the delivering end of the roller 6. The liquids are, therefore,completely separated from each other during the entire treating processand will drip respectively into the trays provided underneath the roller6 so that these liquids can be reused again.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or twoor more together, may also find a useful application in other types ofspinning machines differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in anapparatus for treating yarn with at least two liquids and having asqueezing roll for separating two wet surface zones on a yarn supportingroller, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, sincevarious modifications and structural changes may be made withoutdeparting in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can by applying current knowledgereadily adapt it for various applications without omitting featuresthat, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essentialcharacteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this inventionand, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to becomprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of thefollowing claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. An apparatus for consecutively treating yarn with at least twoliquids, comprising, in combination, a pairof rollers extending in thesame general direction, one of said rollers being located spaced fromthe other of said rollers and having a smooth surface, said rollersbeing adapted to have a yarn wound thereon in such manner that the yarnpasses around both rollers leaving the surface portions of said rollersfacing each other free of the yarn; at least two outlet means spaced inaxial direction for a predetermined distance for separately applying twotreating liquids to two adjacent annular surface zones of one of saidrollers for wetting the same and yarn located on the same; and at leastone freely rotatable narrow squeezing roll having an axial lengthsubstantially smaller than said distance and a resilientliquid-impermeable peripheral rim engaging said one roller at saidsurface portion which is free of yarn so as to be rotated by said oneroller, said squeezing roll being located between said two outlet meansand adapted to be located between said two adjacent annular surfacezones of said lower roller,

said squeezing roll being adapted to squeeze dry a narrow annular stripof said surface of said one roller during rotation of the same so as toseparate said two annular surface zones of said lower roller wetted bysaid two treating liquids and to force portions of each of said liquidsentering said dry annular strip to return to the corresponding surfacezones so as to prevent mixing of the treating liquids.

2. An apparatus for consecutively treating yarn with at least twoliquids, comprising, in combination, a pair of rollers extending in thesame general direction, one of said rollers being located below theother of said rollers and having a smooth surface, said rollers beingadapted to have a yarn wound thereon in such manner that the yarn passesaround both rollers leaving the surface portions of said rollers facingeach other free of the yarn; at least two outlet means spaced in axialdirection for a predetermined distance for separately applying twotreating liquids to two adjacent annular surface zones of the lower oneof said rollers for wetting the same and yarn located on the same; atleast one freely rotatable narrow squeezing roll having an axial lengthsubstantially smaller than said distance and a resilientliquid-impermeable peripheral rim engaging the surface portion of saidlower roller which is free of yarn so as to be rotated by said lowerroller, said squeezing roll being located underneath and between saidtwo outlet means and adapted to be located between said two adjacentannular surface zones of said lower roller, said squeezing roll beingadapted to squeeze dry a narrow annular strip of said surface of saidlower roller during rotation of the same so as to separate said twoannular surface zones of said lower roller wetted by said two treatingliquids and to force portions of each of said liquids entering said dryannular strip to return to the corresponding surface zones so as toprevent mixing of the treating liquids; and at least two separated traymeans located underneath said lower roller and said squeezing roll onboth sides of a vertical plane passing through said squeezing roll sothat each tray means is adapted to be located underneath one of said twowet annular surface zones of said roller.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

1. AN APPARATUS FOR CONSECUTIVELY TREATING YARN WITH AT LEAST TWOLIQUIDS, COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A PAIR OF ROLLERS EXTENDING IN THESAME GENERAL DIRECTION, ONE OF SAID ROLLERS BEING LOCATED SPACED FROMTHE OTHER OF SAID ROLLERS AND HAVING A SMOOTH SURFACE, SAID ROLLERSBEING ADAPTED TO HAVE A YARN WOUND THEREON IN SUCH MANNER THAT THE YARNPASSES AROUND BOTH ROLLERS LEAVING THE SURFACE PORTIONS OF SAID ROLLERSFACING EACH OTHER FREE OF THE YARN; AT LEAST TWO OUTLET MEANS SPACED INAXIAL DIRECTION FOR A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE FOR SEPARATELY APPLYING TWOTREATING LIQUIDS TO TWO ADJACENT ANNULAR SURFACE ZONES OF ONE OF SAIDROLLERS FOR WETTING THE SAME AND YARN LOCATED ON THE SAME; AND AT LEASTONE FREELY ROTATABLE NARROW SQEEZING ROLL HAVING AN AXIAL LENGTHSUBSTANTIALLY SMALLER THAN SAID DISTANCE AND A RESILIENTLIQUID-IMPERMEABLE PERIPHERAL RIM ENGAGING SAID ONE ROLLER AT SAIDSURFACE PORTION WHICH IS FREE OF YARN SO AT TO BE ROTATED BY SAID ONEROLLER, SAID SQUEEZING ROLL BEING LOCATED BETWEEN SAID TWO OUTLET MEANSAND ADAPTED TO BE LOCATED BETWEEN SAID TWO ADJACENT ANNULAR SURFACEZONES OF SAID LOWER ROLLER, SAID SQUEEZING ROLL BEING ADAPTED TO SQEEZEDRY A NARROW ANNULAR STRIP OF SAID SURFACE OF SAID ONE ROLLER DURINGROTATION OF THE SAME SO AS TO SEPARATE SAID TWO ANNULAR SURFACE ZONES OFSAID LOWER ROLLER WETTED BY SAID TWO TREATING LIQUIDS AND TO FORCEPORTIONS OF EACH OF SAID LIQUIDS ENTERING SAID DRY ANNULAR STRIP TORETURN TO THE CORRESPONDING SURFACE ZONES SO AS TO PREVENT MIXING OF THETREATING LIQUIDS.